Woman who stabbed brother avoids prison

A woman has avoided prison after being found guilty of stabbing her brother in her caravan.

Samantha MacDonald, 36, will be tagged to remain at home between 9pm and 5am for two months.

The accused, of 6 Ledaig Travelling Persons’ Site, Ledaig, appeared before Oban Sheriff Court for sentencing on Wednesday December 2.

She was found guilty at a trial on November 3 after denying a single charge that she did repeatedly strike her brother with a knife on January 21 2019.

At the time of the incident, she had been drinking alcohol for five days and had not taken her medication which made her vulnerable to hallucinations, the court heard.

Giving evidence, MacDonald told the trial in November: ‘I didn’t do it. I know I didn’t.’

Her brother denied she had stabbed him and dismissed the injury as a ‘scratch’.

Mr MacDonald claimed he injured himself on gardening equipment in his caravan and had gone to his sister’s caravan where she had bandaged him up. The accused’s partner Anthony Murray, 41, also denied she had stabbed her brother.

At the sentencing hearing, solicitor Ruben Murdanaigum, said the accused suffered from mental health issues and her ‘coping strategy’ had been to turn to alcohol.

Despite her difficulties she had been volunteering at Hope Kitchen in Oban which submitted a supportive letter on her behalf to demonstrate the progress she had made since the incident nearly two years ago.

Mr Murdanaigum told Sheriff Patrick Hughes: ‘I’d invite my lord to look at Miss MacDonald as she is today and on the basis of her commitment to the community, despite what has happened.’

MacDonald was from a family which ‘stuck together’ and a social work report had recommended her suitability for a community payback order, said Mr Murdanaigum.

Sheriff Hughes told the court that the seriousness of the offence could not be underestimated. However, Sheriff Hughes said he recognised the importance of her role as a carer.

The letter from Hope Kitchen had also acknowledged the ‘very impressive’ work she was doing to help others, he said. As a result, a custodial sentence could not be justified.

‘The biggest problem you have and what is a trigger for you is alcohol and you must control it to stay out of prison,’ said Sheriff Hughes.

He ordered that she remain under the supervision of a social worker for three years and that she completes 240 hours of community service within 18 months.